Ballard County School District

11 Vocational School Road
Barlow, KY 42024
(District boundaries shown in map)
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

Ballard County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Kentucky for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
For the 2026 school year, there is 1 public preschool serving 90 students in Ballard County School District.
Public Preschools in Ballard County School District have a diversity score of 0.43, which is more than the Kentucky public preschool average of 0.41.
Minority enrollment is 28% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the Kentucky public preschool average of 24% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (KY)
# Schools
5 Schools
542 Schools
# Students
1,039 Students
226,650 Students
# Teachers
70 Teachers
15,354 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
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District Rank

Ballard County School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 171 school districts in Kentucky (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 85-89% has decreased from 90-94% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (KY)
#32 out of 172 school districts
(Top 20%)
42%
38%
55%
45%
22%
22%
(21-22)
85-89%
90%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.25
0.41
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
2%
% Hispanic
3%
9%
% Black
2%
8%
% White
86%
76%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
8%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $17,145 is higher than the state median of $14,250. The school district revenue/student has grown by 21% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,248 is higher than the state median of $13,989. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (KY)
Total Revenue
$18 MM
$9,360 MM
Spending
$16 MM
$9,189 MM
Revenue / Student
$17,145
$14,250
Spending / Student
$15,248
$13,989

Best Ballard County School District Public Preschools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
3383 Paducah Road
Barlow, KY 42024
(270) 665-8400
Gr: PK | 90 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 28%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 5 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 1,039 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 14%
  • : 85-89% (Btm 50% in KY)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 42% (Top 30%)
  • : 55% (Top 20%)
  • : 22% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), KY Dept. of Education

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